Somalia, Pakistan top world terror risk list

LONDON - Pakistan is in the second spot in the world terrorism risk index (TRI), said a risk-advisory firm report that places Somalia at number one.

Global risks advisory firm Maplecroft prepared the index after assessing the frequency and intensity of terrorist incidents in 196 countries.

The report places 16 countries in the “extreme risk” category. While Iraq is placed third, Afghanistan is number four. Colombia, Thailand, Philippines, Yemen and Russia are other countries that figure in the top 10 extreme risk nations.

The report also makes a mention of attacks on “mining operations in Chattisgarh, India” while referring to business assets that are vulnerable in high risk countries.

The Terrorism Risk Index used data from June 2009 to June 2010 to assess the frequency of terrorist incidents and the intensity of attacks, which includes the number of victims per attack and the chances of mass casualties occurring.

“Somalia dropped from 4 to 1 in this year’s index. It experienced 556 terrorist incidents, killing a total of 1,437 people and wounding 3,408 between June 2009 and June 2010,” said a statement on the Maplecroft website.

Yemen entered the extreme risk category for the first time. It has witnessed “a very significant increase in the number of terrorist incidents on its own soil with a total of 109 attacks between June 2009 and June 2010. Yemen’s primary source of terrorism is Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), which is causing growing alarm among Western intelligence services as the group plots more attacks abroad”.

“Business assets are vulnerable in certain high risk countries. For example, recent months have seen attacks on oil and gas workers in the Niger Delta, mining operations in Chhattisgarh, India and the failed attempt to conceal devices in the freight of cargo planes flying out of Yemen.”

Incidentally, none of the major Western economies feature in the high or extreme risk bracket. US (33), France (44) and Britain (46) were in the medium risk category. Canada (67) and Germany (70) were placed in the low risk category.